Musical instrument.



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(Application led Oct. 2, 1899.) .(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet l.

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No. 647,308. Patented Apr. I0, |900.

' M. S. LOGAN.

MUSICAL INSTRUMENT,

(Application filed Oct. 2, 1899.) (No Model.) 'l Sheets-Sheet 2.

TED STATES MAURICE SAMUEL LOGAN, OF SEDALIA, MISSOURI.

MUSICAL lNSl'RUMENT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 647,308, dated AprillO, 1 900.

Application iiled October 2,1899. Serial No. '732896. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known th-at I, MAURICE SAMUEL Lo- GAN, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Sedalia, in the county of Pettis and State ofMissouri, have invented a new Musical Instrument, of which the followingis a specilication.

My invention relates to that class of musical instruments in which themusic is produced by means of a set of keys coming in contact with aseries of pins or projections which are so arranged as to engage theproper keys at the proper intervals.

The objects of my invention are, rst, to make the music changeable atwill by means of movable pins or picks, so as to do away with theexpense of obtaining specially-prepared plates or rolls for each pieceof music; second, to assist persons unable to read music to learn tunesby ear, and, third, to illustrate the principles of music by means of aruler and attachments, making the instrument a musical self-instructor.I attain these objects by the mechanism illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings, in which Figure l is a general view. Fig. 2 is the ruler orguide for setting up the picks. Fig. 3 is the major-key attachment. Fig.is the minor-key attachment. Fig. 5is the keyboard attachment. Figs. 6,7, and 8 show the parts of the music-box separately. Fig. 9 shows thesame combined. Fig. l0 is the note-reading attachment. Fig. ll showsseveral forms of picks that may be used. Fig. l2 is a cross-section ofthe music-board.

Similar letters refer to si milarparts throughout the several views.

A A, Fig. l, is the music board or plate, which may be secured to thewall of a room or to a frame by means of the screws a ct. The face ofsaid board is provided with numerous small holes or recesses adapted forthe insertion of small pins. The music is set up on the board by meansof pins inserted into said holes, so that the ends of said pins projectslightly above the face of the board.

B B, Fig. l, is the ruler or guide for locating the pins in setting upthe music. The same is also shown in Fig. 2 enlarged. Said ruler has themusical staff represented on its vertical face and has the kinds ofnotes ,and rests represented on its horizontal arm. The

tooth-like projections or pointers on the inner verticaledge representthe halt-steps or intervals in the musical scale and are painted whiteor black, according as they represent the White or black keys on anorgan or piano keyboard. When the ruler is placed in position on themusic-board, as shown in Fig. l, every tooth points to a correspondinglongitudinal row of holes on the music-board.

O O, Fig. 3, is a plate which represents by its tooth-like projectionsthe major-key combination of intervals. The key-syllables and also thekey-numerals are marked on its face. It may be attached to the ruler BB, Figs. l and 2, by means of the set-screws b b, the slots c c, Fig. 3,enabling it to be shifted up or down. The pointer D is made to point tothe desired key-letter, and the setscrews t b are then tightened to holdit in position. If the pointer D is made to point to middle O, then theteeth on the plate C O will coincide with the white teeth on the ruler BB; but if the pointer Dis made to point to any other letter then theteeth on the plate O O will point to one or more of the black teeth onthe ruler B B, thus indicating the letters that are to be sharped ortlatted, as the case may be.

E E, Fig. et, is a plate which represents, by its tooth-likeprojections, the minor-key combination of intervals. It is alsomarkedwith the key syllables and numerals and provided with slots e eand pointer F and may be attached to the ruler B B and operatedsimilarly to the plate O O, as already explained.

Fig. 5 represents a miniature organ or piano keyboard and may beattached to the ruler B B bymeans of the set-screws ff, Fig. 2, and maybe used to illustrate the relation between the keyboard and the musicalstaff, dac.

To set upthe music on the music-board, the ruler B B is placed inposition on the music-boardA A, as shown in Fig. 1. Insert a pin in themusic-board opposite the letter on the ruler that the first note isintended to represent. Then insert the guide-pin G, Fig.

2, into the music-board just under the note on the horizontal arm of theruler which represents the ti me of the given note. Then push the rulerforward till it is stopped by the said guide-pin G. Set the next note inthe same manner, and so on to the end of the music.

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It rests occur, after determining` the time ot the note, as alreadyexplained, then set the pin G under the given rest and move the rulerforward, as before. Short pins may be used to represent the rests. Thekey-plate C C, Fig. 3, or F. E, Fig. et, is not shown in Fig. l, butshould be used whenever sharps or flats occur in the signature ot thepiece of music to indicate what letters are to be sharped or tlatted.After the music is set up the ruler IE B is removed. The music may beset up one part at a time or all the parts may beset up at the sametime.

B/ B, Fig. 2, show a cross-section or edgewise view oi. the ruler B Band show how the upper edge of said ruler is bent backward and downward,so as to tit in the longitudinal groove or guideway A, Fig. I2, on theupper edge of the music-board. The lower edge of the said ruler is bentbackward and downward and rests against the face of the 1n usicboard, sothat when the ruler B B is in position on the music-board, as shown inFig. I, the face of said ruler stands out from the surface of saidmusic-board, so that it passes freely over the pins that have beeninserted in the board.

Figs. (i, 7, and show the parts ot the musicbox in perspective. Fig. 9shows the same combined, and at I, Fig. I, the same is shown in positionon the music-board.

II H, Figs. l, 6, and 9, show the base-plate, the upper and lower edgesof which are bent backward and inward, as shown in Figs. G and so as totit in the longitudinal grooves or guideways A A, Fig. l2, in the upperand lower edges of the music-board.

I, Figs. l, 7, and 9, is a box-like trame and is pivotally attached tothe base H I-I by means oit the rod 7L, Figs. (i and 9.

J, Fig. 8, is the music-comb and is att-ached to the frame I by means otthe set-screws i il, as shown in Fig. 9, the slots jj admitting of itsbeing shifted up and down.

K, Fig. 6, is a plate having arms projecting upward, downward, andbackward and is held in place by the staples 7e' 7e, which admit of aslight forward-ancl-backward movement of the plate K, the nipple Zkeepingitfrom dropping down. It will be seen in Fig. I that the cords mmfor pulling the music-box forward are attached to the ends ot the upperand lower arms of the plate K, and the cord n for pulling the music-boxback is attached to the end or" the rear arm of the plate K.

L, Fig. 6, is a lilik, one end of which is attached to the plate K andthe other end attached to the inner side of the box-like frame I, Fig.7, when in position, so that when the plate K is pulled 'forward by Ithecords m in., Fig. l, the link L, Fig. (5, acting like a togglejoint,pulls the forward part of said frame I down against the base-plate IjIH. The musiccolnb J, being attached to the frame I, is brought down sothat the teeth ot said comb will strike the projecting pins which havebeen inserted in the music-board; but when the plate K is pulled back bythe cord n, Fig. l, the said link L, Fig. G, litts the front part ot'said trame I andthe comb J, so that the said comb J passes backward overthe projecting pins on the music-board without striking them.

IVhen the notch 1/` on the back ot the comb J, Figs. 8 and 9, is made tocorrespond with the line T on the `trame I, then the musical scale shownon the back of thel comb .l will correspond to the scale on the ruler I3I3, Fig. 2; but it it is desired to play the music in a higher or lowerkey than the one in which it is written or set up, lirst set the pointerr, Figs. 7 and 9, to point to the key-letter on the comb J indicatingthe key inv which the music has been set up on the peg-board, and thenshift the comb J up or down, as desired, and the pointer r will point tothe new key-letter.

Q, Fig. lO, is the note-reading attachment. It has the key-syllablesrepresented on its face and is provided with pointers similar to theplate O C, Fig. It maybe attached to the music-comb J, Figs. S and fl,by the setscrew q, the slot q', Fig. i0, enabling it to be shitted up ordown, so that the pointer q may be made to point to any desiredkey-letter on the back ot' the comb J. When attached thus, it will givethe key-name ot each note just before it is struck, thus enabling thelearner to read the music readily.

The weight I), Fig. l, draws the music-box I forward Aby means of thecords m in, which pass under the pulleys M M and over the combinedpulley and gear-wheel t). The metion of said combined pulley andgear-wheel O is communicated through a train ol' gearwheels to thecrank-head R. Said crankhead R is connected by the crank-arm r to thependulum S. The action of said pendulum is to retard the motion et saidtrain ol gear-wheels. The pendulum-bob S may be adjusted up and down onthe stem, so as to make the time faster or slower, as may be desired.When the music-box I has traveledv over the music-board A A to the endot the piece of music, it is pulled back to the starting-point by meansof the cord n.

Fig. Il shows several forms oi' pins or picks that may be used insetting up the music, (enlarged to about natural size.) The form :1;shows the upper end eut away at one side, so that the point is one sideot the center. ,lt will be seen in Fig. 2 that the smallest noterepresented on the horizontal arm oli' the ruler is a sixteenth note. Toobtain the time of a thirty-second note, the pin ai, Fig. ll, is simplyturned around, so that the point will be thrown forward. The form y hasspringarms which tend to hold it securely in position when inserted inthe board.

In case of triplets and other notes ot einbellishment special picks ofthe form of are provided, in which the upper end is bent to one sidemore or less, as may be required. The term of the pick will also dependsomewhat on the shape ot the holes or recesses in IOC.

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the board A A, Fig. l, which may be roun'd, square, or any othersuitable shape desired.

The form g, Fig. 11, maybe used to represent the rests. Also the form gmay be used to indicate the proper accompaniment for guitar or otherinstrument by inserting a pin of the form g in the music-board near thebottom Whenever the prevailing harmony changes, the different chordsbeing represented by different-colored pins or by some mark or characteron said pins.

The threads c' c/ c', Fig. 3, are of dilferent colors and are fastenedat one end in the slit c2 at the upper end of the plate C C. They maythen be Woven about the teeth on said plate in such a Way as torepresent the different chord families by the different colors ofthread. The threads shown in Fig. 3 represent the three principalchords. Other threads may be added to represent other chords in commonuse. These colored threads also assist the learner in locating thecolored pins g, Fig. 11, to shoT when the prevailing harmony changes.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A musical instrument consisting of the combination of a music boardor plate having its face provided with numerous holes or recessesarranged uniformly in rows both longitudinally and transversely, anumber of suitable pins or picks capable of being inserted in saidholes, said holes or recesses being so arranged as to admit of the saidpins being so distributed over the face of said music-board as to givethe correct tone and time of the notes of a tune, and to admit also ofsaid pins being removed and rearranged at Will i'or different tunes, aset of musical keys attached to a traveling frame, and means by whichsaid keys are made to travel over the face of the music-boardlongitudinally from one end to the other, so as to come in contact withthe pins that have been inserted in the music-board, all substantiallyas shown and described.

2. The combination of aset of musical keys attached to a travelingframe, and a musicboard provided With guideways on its upper and lowerlongitudinal edges for said traveling frame, said music-board being alsoprovided With numerous holes or recesses capable otn holding suitablepins or picks, and so arranged over the face of said music--board as toadmit of said pins being so distributed as to engage the proper keys atthe proper intervals to give the correct tone and time of the notes of atune, and also to admit of said pins being removed and rearranged atwill for different tunes, substantially as and for the purpose setforth.

The combination of a traveling frame carrying a set of musical keys, amusic-board provided with numerous small holes or recesses, a number ofsuitable pins or picks capable of being inserted in said holes orrecesses so as to project slightly above the surface, said holes orrecesses being so arranged over the face of said music-board as to admitof said pins being so distributed as to'give the correct tone and timeof the notes of a tune, and also of being removed and rearranged at willfor different tunes, means by which said musical keys are made to travelover the face of said music-board so as to engage the proj ectin g endsof the pins that have been inserted in the said music-board, and meansfor drawing said keys back to the starting-point after each trip, andmeans for automatically lifting said keys While they are being drawnback, all substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

4. The combination of the music-board A A, suitable pins or pickscapable of being inserted into the holes or recesses in the face of saidmusic-board, the music-comb J, attached to a traveling frame, the cordor cords m, attached to said frame, the Weight P, attached to the end ofsaid cord, a train of Wheels set in motion by said Weight, the pendulumS, the cord or cords n, and the pulleys M, all substantially as shownand for the purpose set forth.

5. An adjustable note-reader Q, in combination with the music-comb Jattached to a traveling frame, the music-board-A A, and movable pins orpicks for representing the notes, all substantially as and for thepurpose set forth.

6. The adjustable pointer o, in combination With the adjustablemusic-comb J, having the musical scale represented on its face, andattached to a traveling frame, the musicboard A A, and movable pins orpicks for representing the notes, substantially as and for the purposeset forth.

7. In combination with the music-board A A, and movable pins or picksfor representing the notesthe ruler or guide B, B, to be used in settingup the music, said ruler or guide having the musical staff representedon its face, and having pointers along its edge corresponding to thedifferent tones of the musical scale, and having also an arm projectingat a right angle, on which are represented the kinds of notes and restsas regards time, substantially as shown and described.

S. The combination of the music-board A, A, the movable pins forrepresenting the notes, the ruler or guide B, B, the plates C C and E E,representing respectively the major and minor key combination ofintervals by means of suitable pointers, and having the key numerals andsyllables represented on their faces, and means for attaching saidplates to the ruler B B, so as to admit of their being adjusted up ordown to correspond to any desired key, substantially as shown anddescribed. A

9. The combination of the music-board A A, the movable pins forrepresenting the notes, the ruler or guide B B, the plates C C and E E,the different-colored threads c c' c',

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fastened to one end of the plate C C or E E, whereby they may be Woundabout the peinters` on said plate, in such a Way :rs to represent thedifferent chords by the different eeh 01's, and different-colored pegs,for the purpose et' being` inserted in said illusie-board, whenever theprevailing chord changes, so as to show by the eelor the prevailingharmony, and therefore the properaeeompnnmen l-sn bsi'z'tntialy as shownand described.

MAURICE SAMUEL LOGAN. Witnesses:

D. l. BERRY, J. H. ROBINSON.

